Healthy Biscuits for Diabetes Recipe

INGREDIENTS
6 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pan and shaping biscuits
5 ounces whole wheat pastry flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 ounces cold non-hydrogenated leaf lard, pinched into small pieces, plus extra for pan
1 cup cold low-fat buttermilk

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch straight-sided aluminum cake pan with lard and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the lard and quickly rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Blend in the buttermilk using a large wide spatula until the dough just comes together. The dough will be very loose and shaggy. Knead the dough in the bowl by folding it on itself 6 to 8 times.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and pat into 1/2 inch thickness. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into a little flour and press straight down, cutting as many biscuits as possible. Place the biscuits in the prepared pan so they are just touching each other and the pan. Fold together the remaining dough and repeat until you no longer have enough dough to form a biscuit. Press down lightly in the center of each biscuit with a fingertip. There should be approximately 15 biscuits, with some dough leftover.


Set the pan on the middle rack of the oven and increase the heat to 500 degrees F. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the biscuits are just golden brown. Serve warm.

Easy Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
225g/8oz plain flour
350g/12½oz caster sugar
85g/3oz cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 free-range eggs
250ml/9fl oz milk
125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing:
200g/7oz plain chocolate

200ml/7fl oz double cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.) Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.

Chunky Vegetable Bulgur Salad Recipe

I tried it out. It tastes amazing.!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups bulgur
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 lemons
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped finely
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

One 8-ounce yellow summer squash, choppedOne 8-ounce zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed mint, chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, stir together the bulgur and boiling water. Cover and let stand until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze ¼ cup juice from the lemons and set aside.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, squash, and zucchini. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the vegetables into the bulgur with the lemon peel and juice, mint, parsley, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture into a container with a tight-fitting lid. It can be refrigerated up to 1 day.

Enjoy..

Bison Sausage Pasta with Grape Tomatoes Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta, preferably whole wheat
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ red onion, sliced thinly
• Salt, to taste
• 1 serrano pepper, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, pricked with a toothpick or fork
• 2 bison sausage links, preferably High Plains, sliced into rounds
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 6-8 basil leaves
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
• DIRECTIONS 
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook 1-2 minutes less than directed on the package (just al dente). When finished, drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
  Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, when hot, add the oil, and then the onion. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. When tender, add the chile pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Then add the grape tomatoes and cook until about half have popped, and they are juicy and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the bison sausage and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes. 
  Add the reserved pasta and pasta water to the pan and cook over medium heat until combined and heated through. Finish with the basil leaves, tearing them or cutting them into a chiffonade. Grate fresh cheese on top and serve immediately.
• • 
    

Cannellini Bean Dip with Pan-Fried Mint Recipe

INGREDIENTS

For the pan-fried mint:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, large leaves torn in half

For the dip:

• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans or navy beans, drained
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• DIRECTIONS 

• For the pan-fried mint:

  Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the mint leaves. Sauté until the leaves are crisp and dark green, stirring continuously, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and add the remaining olive oil. Set aside.

  For the dip:

  Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper, to taste, in the bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping the sides of the bowl once, until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving bowl. Make a well in the center of the dip, pour the fried mint and its oil inside, and serve.

Delicious Peach Coffee Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS 
For the crumb topping: 
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, chopped roughly

For the cake: 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced

DIRECTIONS 
For the crumb topping: 
Stir together the flour, sugars, and allspice to combine; then using your clean fingers, rub the butter into the mixture to create coarse crumbs.

For the cake: 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8-inch round baking dish. Stir together the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In another large bowl, whisk together the egg, butter, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until creamy. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and stir to combine fully, but do not overmix. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and add peach slices on top in an even layer, then cover with the crumb topping and bake 35-40 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean). Let the cake cool for at least half an hour before serving.

Perfect Turkish Delight Recipe

INGREDIENTS
4 cups sugar 
1 teaspoon lemon juice 
4 1/2 cups cold water 
1 1/4 cups cornstarch 
1 teaspoon cream of tartar 
1-2 tablespoons rosewater 
Red food coloring 
1/2 cup chopped, toasted unblanched almonds (optional) 
Cooking spray or vegetable oil, for the cake pan 
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

Combine the sugar, lemon juice, and 1 ½ cups of the water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, brushing the sugar crystals off the side of the pan with a bristle brush dipped in cold water.

Bring the syrup to a boil. Boil to the soft ball stage (240 degrees on a sugar thermometer), when a small spoonful of the syrup forms a ball when dropped into a bowl of very cold water. Remove from the heat.

In another heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix together the 1 cup of the cornstarch, cream of tartar, and 1 cup of the water until smooth. Boil the remaining water in another pot and stir into the cornstarch mixture.

Place over the heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles; use a balloon whisk if any lumps form. Gradually pour the hot syrup into the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly.

Bring to a boil, then boil gently for 1 ¼ hours. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon and cook until the mixture is a pale golden color. (Stirring is essential during this time.)

Stir in the rosewater to taste, and a few drops of red food coloring to tinge it a pale pink. Mix in the nuts, if using, and remove from the heat.

Lightly coat a 9-inch square cake pan with oil and pour in the mixture. Leave for 12 hours to set.

To finish the Turkish delight, combine the confectioners' sugar and remaining cornstarch in a flat dish. Lightly oil a knife and cut the Turkish delight into squares, then gently toss in the confectioners' sugar mixture.

Store in a sealed container, with the remaining confectioners' sugar mixture sprinkled between the layers.